MPs rally behind Sure Start scheme

Monday 29 March 2010 00:11 BST

The Sure Start scheme may fall victim to public spending cuts

A cross-party committee of MPs has issued a plea for the national network of Sure Start Children's Centres to be protected from the axe in the round of public spending reductions expected after the general election.

The Commons Children's Committee hailed Sure Start as "one of the most innovative and ambitious initiatives of the last two decades" and said it would be "catastrophic" to cut it back before its long-term impact is known.

The committee also cautioned against proposals - backed by Conservative leader David Cameron - to return Sure Start to its original focus on the most disadvantaged children.

From the opening of the first Sure Start in 2004, the network has grown to 3,500 centres catering for under-fives in every community in England. The centres bring together childcare and help with health, parenting, employment and other issues in one venue.

Labour repeatedly accused the Tories of planning to scale back or scrap its flagship scheme, but Mr Cameron insists he is committed to keeping it, but would target it at the most disadvantaged families.

In a speech in January, he said: "Sure Start has lost its focus. The people who need it most - disadvantaged and dysfunctional families - are not getting enough of the benefit... I want not just to repeat our commitment to keep Sure Start. But to... improve Sure Start by taking it back to its original purpose."

In the report, the Children's Committee said that the operation of the centres was "based on research evidence and a sound rationale" and that it was the "unambiguous" belief of workers in the sector that they delivered improvements to the lives of families who use them.

But the report acknowledged that they had "not yet decisively shown the hoped-for impact", largely because their goals of improving the life chances of young children can only be measured over the long term.

Last week's Budget resulted in an increase in resource funding for Sure Start centres in line with inflation.

But neither Labour nor the Tories have promised to protect Sure Start following the election by "ring-fencing" spending in the way that has been done with priorities like the NHS.